The chilly train service dubbed Scotland's polar express

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-68241768

"A Scottish train service has been dubbed the "polar express" amid
complaints of plunging temperatures.

Some commuters who travel between Oban and Glasgow say conditions in the
carriages are so cold they take sleeping bags for the journey ........."

On 15/02/2024 12:45, JMB99 wrote:
> The chilly train service dubbed Scotland's polar express
>
> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-68241768
>
>
>
> "A Scottish train service has been dubbed the "polar express" amid
> complaints of plunging temperatures.
>
> Some commuters who travel between Oban and Glasgow say conditions in the
> carriages are so cold they take sleeping bags for the journey ........."

Sorry, I responded to Coffee's post before I saw yours!

--
Colin

On 15/02/2024 22:47, ColinR wrote:
> On 15/02/2024 12:45, JMB99 wrote:
>> The chilly train service dubbed Scotland's polar express
>>
>> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-68241768
>>
>>
>>
>> "A Scottish train service has been dubbed the "polar express" amid
>> complaints of plunging temperatures.
>>
>> Some commuters who travel between Oban and Glasgow say conditions in
>> the carriages are so cold they take sleeping bags for the journey
>> ........."
>
> Sorry, I responded to Coffee's post before I saw yours!
>
Sorry. I didn't see this thread before I posted either.

I've travelled on the 156s up there in the winter without a problem. I
wonder what is causing the problem now?

On 16/02/2024 11:29, Coffee wrote:
> On 15/02/2024 22:47, ColinR wrote:
>> On 15/02/2024 12:45, JMB99 wrote:
>>> The chilly train service dubbed Scotland's polar express
>>>
>>> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-68241768
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "A Scottish train service has been dubbed the "polar express" amid
>>> complaints of plunging temperatures.
>>>
>>> Some commuters who travel between Oban and Glasgow say conditions in
>>> the carriages are so cold they take sleeping bags for the journey
>>> ........."
>>
>> Sorry, I responded to Coffee's post before I saw yours!
>>
> Sorry.  I didn't see this thread before I posted either.
>
> I've travelled on the 156s up there in the winter without a problem.  I
> wonder what is causing the problem now?

Could be defective heaters, or hopper windows that refuse to stay closed
(a not uncommon fault as some stock gets older.)

On 16/02/2024 13:55, Bevan Price wrote:
> On 16/02/2024 11:29, Coffee wrote:
>> On 15/02/2024 22:47, ColinR wrote:
>>> On 15/02/2024 12:45, JMB99 wrote:
>>>> The chilly train service dubbed Scotland's polar express
>>>>
>>>> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-68241768
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "A Scottish train service has been dubbed the "polar express" amid
>>>> complaints of plunging temperatures.
>>>>
>>>> Some commuters who travel between Oban and Glasgow say conditions in
>>>> the carriages are so cold they take sleeping bags for the journey
>>>> ........."
>>>
>>> Sorry, I responded to Coffee's post before I saw yours!
>>>
>> Sorry.  I didn't see this thread before I posted either.
>>
>> I've travelled on the 156s up there in the winter without a problem.
>> I wonder what is causing the problem now?
>
>
> Could be defective heaters, or hopper windows that refuse to stay closed
> (a not uncommon fault as some stock gets older.)
>

I saw a quote (somewhere) that the interior was colder than outside - is
that even possible?!

My own anecdata - did the Far North on 156s in March 2011 (?), snow on
ground and about -6, all fine in jumper and tshirt.

It was not too long after a train got stuck in a drift near Inverness, I
had a nice chat with a very bored trolley guy who had been on that
working! Hence the ? after 2011 above. I know I went in a car I bought
in summer 2010 and sold in winter 2013, but beyond that not 100% sure.

James

On Fri, 16 Feb 2024 13:55:34 +0000, Bevan Price
<bevanprice666@gmail.com> wrote:

>On 16/02/2024 11:29, Coffee wrote:
>> On 15/02/2024 22:47, ColinR wrote:
>>> On 15/02/2024 12:45, JMB99 wrote:
>>>> The chilly train service dubbed Scotland's polar express
>>>>
>>>> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-68241768
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "A Scottish train service has been dubbed the "polar express" amid
>>>> complaints of plunging temperatures.
>>>>
>>>> Some commuters who travel between Oban and Glasgow say conditions in
>>>> the carriages are so cold they take sleeping bags for the journey
>>>> ........."
>>>
>>> Sorry, I responded to Coffee's post before I saw yours!
>>>
>> Sorry.  I didn't see this thread before I posted either.
>>
>> I've travelled on the 156s up there in the winter without a problem.  I
>> wonder what is causing the problem now?
>
>
>Could be defective heaters, or hopper windows that refuse to stay closed
>(a not uncommon fault as some stock gets older.)
>
Have there been any complaints about the noise from them sitting
idling with the result that they don't get time to warm up? It doesn't
seem to have been a problem in the past.

On Fri, 16 Feb 2024 16:43:18 +0000, James Heaton wrote:

> On 16/02/2024 13:55, Bevan Price wrote:
>> On 16/02/2024 11:29, Coffee wrote:
>>> On 15/02/2024 22:47, ColinR wrote:
>>>> On 15/02/2024 12:45, JMB99 wrote:
>>>>> The chilly train service dubbed Scotland's polar express
>>>>>
>>>>> https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-68241768
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> "A Scottish train service has been dubbed the "polar express" amid
>>>>> complaints of plunging temperatures.
>>>>>
>>>>> Some commuters who travel between Oban and Glasgow say conditions in
>>>>> the carriages are so cold they take sleeping bags for the journey
>>>>> ........."
>>>>
>>>> Sorry, I responded to Coffee's post before I saw yours!
>>>>
>>> Sorry.  I didn't see this thread before I posted either.
>>>
>>> I've travelled on the 156s up there in the winter without a problem.
>>> I wonder what is causing the problem now?
>>
>>
>> Could be defective heaters, or hopper windows that refuse to stay
>> closed (a not uncommon fault as some stock gets older.)
>>
>>
> I saw a quote (somewhere) that the interior was colder than outside - is
> that even possible?!

It is if they run the AC in winter I guess ;).

Reminds me of one of the curious features of the Changsha Metro - the
electronic train information displays on the platforms and on the trains
show the temperature inside each carriage (think of the "how busy is each
carriage" display on a Thameslink (they have that too of course), but with
temperatures in C.)

They also deliberately heat/cool some cariages more than others; of the 6
carriages, 3 will be warm and 3 will be cool. There are signs at the
halfway mark of platforms to indicate which end is which, so if you have a
preference you can choose an appropriate place to stand.

On Sat, 17 Feb 2024 07:56:50 -0000 (UTC), Clank wrote:
> On Fri, 16 Feb 2024 16:43:18 +0000, James Heaton wrote:
>> On 16/02/2024 13:55, Bevan Price wrote:
>> I saw a quote (somewhere) that the interior was colder than outside -
>> is that even possible?!
>
> It is if they run the AC in winter I guess ;).

Quite possible anyway. There's a lot of metal in a train, which takes time
to warm up, and the air inside doesn't exchange with the outside all that
quickly. The station at Oban is at the ferryport, and in late winter the
sea is pretty cold, so the train will get cold overnight. Then it moves
inland where the air temperature is higher away from the sea - and voila,
the inside is colder than the outside!

Oh, and 156s don't have air-con anyway...

Mike

On 17/02/2024 08:37, Mike Humphrey wrote:
> On Sat, 17 Feb 2024 07:56:50 -0000 (UTC), Clank wrote:
>> On Fri, 16 Feb 2024 16:43:18 +0000, James Heaton wrote:
>>> On 16/02/2024 13:55, Bevan Price wrote:
>>> I saw a quote (somewhere) that the interior was colder than outside -
>>> is that even possible?!
>>
>> It is if they run the AC in winter I guess ;).
>
> Quite possible anyway. There's a lot of metal in a train, which takes time
> to warm up, and the air inside doesn't exchange with the outside all that
> quickly. The station at Oban is at the ferryport, and in late winter the
> sea is pretty cold, so the train will get cold overnight. Then it moves
> inland where the air temperature is higher away from the sea - and voila,
> the inside is colder than the outside!
>
> Oh, and 156s don't have air-con anyway...

Thanks Mike - hadn't thought of that but makes sense!

James